Peñuelas farmers, officials discuss needs in first step toward solutions.

Peñuelas Mayor Josean González Febres, right, led a meeting with Agriculture Secretary Irving Torres Rodríguez and about 30 farmers from the southern coastal municipality with the aim of listening to their needs and presenting a work plan to strengthen the local agricultural sector.

By THE STAR STAFF

Peñuelas Mayor Josean González Febres led a meeting with Agriculture Secretary Irving Torres Rodríguez and about 30 farmers from the southern coastal municipality with the aim of listening to their needs and presenting a work plan to strengthen the local agricultural sector.

“We convened this meeting to sit down and listen to our farmers, learn about their challenges, and begin organizing them as has been done in other municipalities,” the mayor said. “This is a first step toward working in a coordinated manner and ensuring they have access to the available tools and resources.” The meeting at the municipal convention center brought together producers of plantains, bananas, squash, pork, rabbits, and other agricultural sectors, including cattle ranchers, coffee growers and fishermen. The forum provided an opportunity to identify the main challenges they face, such as landslides, the need for land reclamation, labor shortages, guidance on the process of obtaining bona fide farmer certification, access to land for cultivation, and limitations related to H-2A visas.

The agriculture secretary presented the priorities of his work plan, focused on maximizing the use of federal funds, promoting access to technology in the field, improving the marketing and promotion of agricultural products, and organizing the sector to strengthen its productive capacity.

“These spaces for direct dialogue with our farmers are fundamental to building real solutions,” Rodríguez Torres said, adding that the agency he heads is “aligning resources, technology, and incentives to support them and ensure they can grow, produce more, and access new market opportunities.” González Febres, meanwhile, highlighted the event’s broad participation and emphasized the importance of more farmers becoming bona fide certified, as the classification grants them access to available incentives and programs “at both the state and federal levels.”

“We want them to take that step,” he said.